Dealing with money is different when you grew up checking couch cushions for spare change. Sure, those lean times taught us skills that trust fund babies could never but let’s be honest: some of those survival habits that got us through tough times might be holding us back now. Whether you’re still building your first emergency fund or finally making decent money, it’s time to rewire those old money patterns without losing the street smarts that got you here.
1. Build Your Financial Foundation With Baby Steps
Forget those finance bros telling you to instantly save six months of expenses—they probably started their “hustle” with a trust fund. Start where you are, even if that’s just stuffing five bucks in a savings account every week. It’s like building muscle—you don’t walk into the gym for the first time and try to deadlift 300 pounds. Those small consistent moves add up faster than you’d think, according to Forbes. Set up automatic transfers so tiny you barely feel them—think coffee money, not rent money. Before you know it, you’ve built a financial cushion that younger you wouldn’t believe.
2. Track Your Money Like a Detective
Stop treating your bank account like a scary movie you can’t watch—let’s turn those money check-ins from panic attacks into power moves. Download a budget app that doesn’t make you feel like garbage (yes, they exist, according to CNBC) and start playing financial detective. Notice where your cash actually goes, not where you think it should go. Maybe you’re spending more on convenience store snacks than you realize—no judgment, but knowledge is power. The goal isn’t to shame yourself into a rice-and-beans existence but to understand your money story through and through.
3. Upgrade Your Mindset from Survival to Strategy
According to Syracuse University, the best financial defense is to play offense. Instead of just stretching dollars, start thinking about making those dollars work for you. Yeah, being thrifty is smart—but there’s a difference between being good with money and being afraid of it. Start researching basic investing like you’re planning a vacation—get excited about compound interest (it’s actually pretty cool when it’s working for you instead of against you on credit cards). Your street smarts about money are actually a superpower, so let’s add some book smarts to the mix.
4. Learn the Rules of the Game
Rich kids learn about credit scores over family dinner—we learn about them when we get denied for our first apartment. Time to catch up on the cheat codes of building wealth. Good credit isn’t about being fancy; it’s about making the system work for you instead of against you (there are tons of advantages here, according to CNBC). Start small with a secured credit card, treat it like a debit card (never spend what you don’t have), and watch your score climb. Start studying money moves like you’re learning a new language—because honestly, that’s exactly what you’re doing.
5. Stop Treating Every Purchase Like a Moral Decision
Growing up broke means every purchase feels like a judgment on your character. That $5 coffee isn’t just a drink—it’s a whole internal debate about whether you deserve nice things. Here’s the truth: buying stuff you can afford isn’t a moral failing. You’ve turned being frugal into your personality because it kept you safe, but now it’s okay to loosen those purse strings a bit. Create a “fun fund” specifically for guilt-free spending. When the money’s there, you can buy that fancy coffee without feeling like you’re betraying your roots.
6. Break Up with the All or Nothing Mindset
You know that panic spending that happens when you finally have some cash? Like you better buy everything now before the money disappears? That’s your survival brain talking, and it’s time to give it new instructions. Instead of swinging between extreme saving and panic buying, create a sustainable money rhythm. Set up separate accounts for different purposes—bills, fun, savings, and emergencies. When you know your basics are covered, that direct deposit hits different.
7. Stop Letting Imposter Syndrome Rob You
Being “bad with money” isn’t coded into your DNA just because you grew up poor. That voice saying you don’t deserve financial success? That’s your inner critic, according to Psychology Today. Start building your money confidence like you’re learning to ride a bike—wobbling is part of the process. Take that free financial workshop, ask questions at the bank without apologizing, and apply for that better credit card. You’re not an imposter for wanting to understand compound interest or investment accounts.
8. Make Peace with Having More Than Your Family
Let’s talk about that guilt that hits when you can afford things your parents never could. The weird feeling when you can help them out instead of the other way around. That mix of pride and shame when you realize your regular grocery bill is more than your family’s weekly budget used to be. This emotional tangle is real, and it’s okay to feel it. But don’t let it keep you playing small with money. Your success doesn’t diminish their struggles or sacrifices—in fact, it honors them.
9. Embrace Strategic Splurging (Yes, Really)
Being good with money doesn’t mean never spending it. Learn the difference between mindless spending and strategic splurging. That quality work bag that lasts five years? Actually cheaper than replacing cheap ones annually. Those slightly pricier groceries that help you cook at home? Beating takeout prices by a mile. Start thinking about value over initial cost—it’s like playing chess instead of checkers with your cash. Remember how creative you got stretching a dollar? Apply that same genius to investing in things that actually save you money long-term.
10. Build Your Financial Squad Goals
Find your financial hype squad—people who get where you’re coming from but are a few steps ahead on the money journey. Join online communities where people share real talk about building wealth from zero. Take those free financial literacy classes at your local library or community center. Your network determines your net worth, so level up your money conversations. It’s like having gym buddies but for your financial fitness.
11. Stop Playing Keep-Up with the Joneses
Social media has us thinking everyone’s living large while we’re just trying to live. Here’s the tea: half those “luxury lifestyle” posts are smoke and mirrors, and the other half are trust fund babies pretending they’re self-made. Focus on your own financial storyline instead of trying to match someone else’s. Create goals that make sense for your life, not your social media feed. And remember: the richest people you’ll meet probably aren’t posting about it between their morning coffee and meditation photos.
12. Get Comfortable with Having Money Sit Still
Growing up poor teaches you that money burns a hole in your pocket—either spend it quickly or lose it. Breaking that mindset is like training a hyperactive puppy to stay. Start small: let your account balance grow without immediately finding a “need” for it. Watch your savings account get thicker than your old emergency binder of cash. It feels weird at first, like leaving food on your plate when you’re full. But just like those leftovers can become tomorrow’s lunch, that sitting money becomes your ticket to bigger opportunities.
13. Acknowledge Your Money Story Without Getting Stuck In It
Growing up broke leaves some emotional baggage in your financial carry-on. Maybe you stockpile ramen noodles even though you can afford fresh groceries now. Or you feel guilty buying anything that isn’t on clearance. Sound familiar? Those survival instincts got you through tough times, but here’s the thing—you can honor where you came from without letting it hold you back. Think of it like updating your phone’s operating system—keep the useful features and delete the bugs.
